Black Lives Matter peels back the layers of oppression

Black Lives Matter. It can be said with such derision by an obscenely loud segment of our population. As if hearing that black lives matter is offensive. It seems that this fact must always be qualified (All Lives Matter), so to be “fair” to all (in other contexts, that would be a classic case of “liberal” P.C.)

Too bad the movement wasn’t named Black Lives Also Matter (BLAM!). Perhaps with that name, more would be able to grasp the urgency.

For far too many poor communities of color, the reality is that black lives do not matter that much. The 30 plus years of wars on drugs and crime has gone far beyond the original intent, and has created permanent institutions of overly-rigorous law enforcement in urban poor communities. Instead of focusing on the underlying predictors for crime — poverty, education, jobs — what has been implemented instead is effectively a police state. These tactics pretty much ensured that the school to prison pipeline would thrive. Dignity and freedom has been eroded. Backlash and resentment would seem a natural result.

Ferguson started revealing the oppressive layers — with much more to see and learn. When I think of all the ways I have survived my many mistakes in my life — without that much to pay, I remember to thank the favorable environment I was born into.